Beetroots are root vegetables that bear the scientific name Beta vulgaris. Vegetables have been a vital cultural and culinary component for many years, stretching back beyond European history.
While we are talking about juicing in this article, there are so many other great ways to use beets like in a Pink Beet Latte. You may be surprised to find these chocolate beet brownies are pretty awesome too!
The vegetables have been cultivated thanks to their potential benefits. Beet juice is a common way of consuming the plants’ health potential, as it’s refreshing to drink and excerpts a maximum level of nutrients.
The vegetable juices are among if not the most popular health extracts. The liquid has a vibrant color, but that’s not all; the fruits contain healthy nutrients, including vitamins, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. Usually, even with a beetroot juice recipe, a question arises on how to prepare beets for juicing.
Let’s break it down!
Do You Need To Peel Beets?
To peel beets or not is a question you are likely to run into, especially as a beginner juicer.
The answer is a bit hairsplitting than a simple yes or no. The root vegetable peels highly dictate how the juice tastes. On the one hand, the skin of the beets is nutritionally dense, making it hard for some individuals to throw the nutrients into the compost. However, you might end up consuming sand and impurities.
Therefore to avoid drinking down chemicals, it’s important to peel the taproot before juicing. The alternative is to give the beets a rigorous scrub. Ideally, soak the beets in warm water with a chunk of salt for at least an hour before extracting the beetroot juice.
This is a crucial step to ensure you thoroughly clean up your beets. Should not, or should you peel beets before you make beet juice? The answer entirely lies in your preferences. Even with peeled beets, the juice still retains healthy nutrients.
Preparing Your Beets
Trim Ends
Using a sharp knife, cut the long greens from the beets. Similarly, trim at least 6 mm from the root side of the beet.You can juice the elongated beet greens together with the beetroot. However, most people prefer to prepare the juice with only the bulb beets.
If you would like to juice the greens, remember to rinse them under clean running water. Additionally, chop them into small parts, ideally 5 cm or smaller.
Clean the Beets
If you prefer juicing unpeeled beets, place them on warm water with salt for about an hour. Using a vegetable brush, scrub off any sand under running water.
On the contrary, you can use a paring knife vegetable peeler to remove the beetroot skin before juicing.
Quarter the Beets
If the beets pieces are too big for the juicer, you risk burning out the motor. Therefore, cut the beets in half, and slice each piece in half again.
This is because most juicers, food processors and blenders, have the power to tackle quartered beets. With that in mind, cut each quarter in half if you have an outdated or low-powered appliance.
Beet it
You are now ready to make fresh juices. Place the beet pieces in your appliance, put the power cord in an electrical outlet, and start juicing. Lastly, pour the extracted beet juice into a drinking glass. You can either drink the healthy juice immediately or wait for half an hour before enjoying the extract.
You can store beet extract in a refrigerator for one or two days; however, the savor is best enjoyed shortly thereafter or immediately.
Best Time To Drink Beet Juice
Drinking beet juice any time of the day means your body reaps the health benefits of this super vegetable including combating blood pressure.
But when choosing whether to consume beet juice when you jump out of bed or before bedtime depends on what you want to achieve. If you are using beet juice as a detox, it’s best to drink 2-3 hours before bed.
Similarly, if you are using beet juice for athletic purposes, ideally, drink beetroot juice either after or before your workout. This is because the liquid is a pronounced recovery drink that helps your muscles recover quickly.
Types of Juicing for Beets
Centrifugal
Centrifugal juicers have sharp blades that spin fast to break down produce to extract the juice and isolate the pulp. There are numerous quality centrifugal juicers to choose from on the market. These appliances make it simple to extract fresh juice.
However, centrifugal juicers’ speed causes oxygenation. This means that the juice extracted isn’t as fresh and nutritious as expected.
Cold-press
Cold-Press or masticating juicers are quickly gaining popularity. These appliances use a slow-moving auger or screw to squeeze and crush your beets. This process ensures the live enzymes and phytonutrients present in beets are simple for the body to absorb.
Cold-press juicing is time-consuming than other techniques. When it comes to preparation, your beets should be cut into tiny pieces, ideally 1 inch. The juicing process is naturally slow, but the wait is well worth patience.
Cold-press juicers are a bit expensive compared to other types of juicers. However, these appliances come in handy when maximizing the health benefits of beets.
Grated Raw
Another juicing technique is grated juice. This simple method involves grating the raw vegetables before squeezing out the liquid manually. Lay down a clean towel or cheesecloth. With a box grater, grille the taproot right onto the towel. Wrap the beets over a bowl and squeeze the bundle.
While this technique produces the smallest juice yield, it extracts a bright, dense liquid without added water, electricity, or appliance. Grated beet juice can mess with your surrounding and especially your hands; you might require gloves. This beet juicing method is common in gourmet kitchens.
Whole Blended Juice
Another technique used in juicing beets involves a blender. To extract beet juice in a blender, slush the vegetable into tiny chunks. Place the pieces into a blender and add some water. Lastly, blend beets until smooth.
The duration to blend and amount of water depending on personal taste and appliance model. The ideal ratio is one cup water for a beet blended for sixty seconds. Strain the juice in a nut milk bag or cheesecloth.
You don’t require specialized equipment when using a blender. For this reason, most vacating rentals and households are equipped with blenders. The downside of this juicing method is that you end up drinking water infused with beets juice.
Final Thoughts
Mother Nature has gifted us endless natural resources to satisfy our needs. A good example is beets, a powerhouse of numerous nutrients that are crucial for the healthy functioning of your body. A perfect juice recipe is naturally sweet and rich in vitamins, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants.
The fiber content, for instance, aids in digestion and enhances good. When preparing beets for juicing, it’s important to use those grown in conducive environments to avoid contamination.